OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of rat tail collagen, hair follicle dermal papilla cells and hair follicle epithelium cells on collagen gel contraction in organotypic culture.

METHODSThe hair follicle organotypic culture was prepared with different concentrations of rat tail collagen, different number of dermal papilla cells and hair follicle epithelium cells in DMEM medium, after cultured for 10 days the diameter of collagen gel was measured.

RESULTThe concentration of rat tail collagen, hair follicle dermal papilla cells and hair follicle epithelium cells significantly influenced on collagen gel contraction in organotypic culture (P<0.01). The contraction of collagen gel was negatively related to the concentration of rat tail collagen, while the concentration of dermal papilla cells and hair follicle epithelium cells was positively related to the contraction of collagen gel.

CONCLUSIONThe key factor influencing collagen gel contraction in organotypic culture is the concentration of rat tail collagen, hair follicle dermal papilla cells and hair follicle epithelium cells.

Animals ; Cell Division ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen ; physiology ; Gels ; Hair Follicle ; cytology ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of bFGF, ET-1 and SCF in different passages of cultured dermal papilla cells (DPC), and their possible effect on biological behaviour of DPC.

METHODSThe expression of bFGF, ET-1 and SCF in different passages of cultured DPC was detected by immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization.

RESULTThe expression of ET-1 and SCF in early passages of cultured DPC was stronger, but became negative in late passages (>6 passages). The stronger the expression of ET-1 and SCF in DPC, the higher ability of DPC to induce hair follicle regeneration.

CONCLUSIONThe expression strength of ET-1 and SCF is related to the ability of DPC inducing hair follicle regeneration.

Endothelin-1 ; analysis ; genetics ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; analysis ; genetics ; Hair Follicle ; chemistry ; cytology ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Stem Cell Factor ; analysis ; genetics

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo determine the efficacy and safety of combined L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine therapy in infertile males with oligoasthenozoospermia.

METHODSOne hundred fifty patients with oligoasthenozoospermia were randomized selected into treatment and control groups. The treatment group with 90 patients were given L-carnitine (2 g/d) and acetyl-L-carnitine (1 g/d) orally, twice a day. The patients in control group were given Vitamin E 100 mg plus Vitamin C 100 mg, tid. The oral therapy lasted three months and patients accepted sperm analysis every one month. The L-carnitine level in seminal plasma was examined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPC). Side effects as well as pregnant rate were observed.

RESULTSIn the treatment group, 85 patients out of 90 finished the three month treatment. Female spouses of 10 patients (11.6%) achieved pregnancy. Moreover, their forward motile sperm per ejaculation, total motile sperm, as well as the concentration of L-carnitine in seminal plasma were increased significantly (P < 0.01). In control group, 53 patients out of 60 completed three months therapy. Two pregnancy (3.7%) was observed. Though some increase was seen in number of forward motile sperm and total motile sperm per ejaculation, the changes were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The difference of the pregnant rate between two groups was statistically significant. No side effects were found.

CONCLUSIONCombined treatment with L-carnitine and acetyl-L-calmitine can be an effective and safe option for treating oligoasthenozoospermia by means of significantly improving forward motile sperm and total motile sperm per ejaculation, as well as increasing pregnant rates.

Acetylcarnitine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Carnitine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Double-Blind Method ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oligospermia ; drug therapy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate

Objective To learn the status of wild freshwater fish and shrimp infected with metacercaria of clonorchis sinensis in Jinhua city.Methods Wild freshwater fish and shrimp were randomly captured in river channel,reservoir and pond from 3 counties according to the distribution characteristics of main river system in Jinhua city.Direct tabletting microscopic examination was used to detect metacercaria of clonorchis sinensis in the muscle of wild freshwater fish and shrimp.Results A total of 1 1 kinds of wild freshwater fish and shrimp were infected with metacercariae,accounting for 61 .1 1 %(1 1 /1 8),and the total infection rate was 5.63% among 2 326 wild freshwater fish and shrimp.The infection rate of fish(8.24%)was significantly higher than that of the shrimp(2.96%)(P <0.01 ).There were significant differences in the infection rate among different counties (P <0.01 ),and the infection rate in the downstream of the water system in Wu water area (1 2.90%)was the highest.Also,significant differences were observed in infection rate among different water environments (P <0.01 ),and the infection rate of pond (1 0.1 8%)was the highest.Significant differences were observed in the infection rate among different kinds of wild freshwater fish (P =0.00),and the infection rate of side skin fish(1 7.65%)and psendorasbora parve(1 7.65%)were the highest.Conclusion There were metacercaria of clonorchis sinensis infection in wild freshwater fish and shrimp with different degrees in Jinhua city.People who ate raw or undercooked freshwater fish and shrimp may be at the risk of infection.

To screen the harmful substance 5-hydroxymethyl furfural content in commercially available traditional Chinese medicine injection which are commonly used, and to preliminarily evaluate the quality of these injections, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural was taken as an index. The contents of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural in 56 samples which consist of 23 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine injections and glucose injection were determined using LC-MS/MS, and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural was detected in 52 of these samples. The minimal content was 0.0038 microg x L(-1) and the maximum content was 1420 microg x mL(-1). The contents of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural were significantly different in traditional Chinese medicine injection which came from different kinds, manufacturers or batches. The results showed the quality difference of commercially available traditional Chinese medicine injection is significant taking 5-hydroxymethyl furfural content as assessment index. More attention should be paid to the safety of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural in traditional Chinese medicine injection, and unified limitation standard should be set to improve medication safety of traditional Chinese medicine injection.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Eleutherococcus ; chemistry ; Furaldehyde ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Glucose ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Injections ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry